Category Archives: Blog

Each week, the faculty and students in my program at UVM hold a seminar, often to review a current paper in the medical literature.  The program is in the College of Medicine, so topics often center around clinical trials.  Not exactly running related, but it’s a great group of smart people and I’ve learned a lot about the research process, which can apply to running as well. Last week, we discussed an article in the New York Times examining whether the number of deaths from Covid-19 are being accurately reported.  Probably not, and several reasons were given.  First, there is often a delay in reporting, sometimes up to several weeks.  But that sorts itself out eventually.  A second bigger issue is how the death certificate is read. There are usually four lines on a death cert, with the top line considered the primary cause.  Presumably this is the line used for reporting the Covid deaths we see in the news.  However, with older people having several health issues, Covid-19 may have merely been the final straw.  The attending physician has to make a determination about the primary cause, and likely there are inconsistencies around the country.  Also, there may not … Continue reading →

So what will things look like on the racing front later this summer, fall, and even next year?  It’s anybody’s guess and there is indeed a lot of guessing going on.  Right now, the Boston Marathon is scheduled for September 14.  That seemed safe when it was re-scheduled in March, but now it’s not so certain.  Locally, the Vermont City Marathon is moved from Memorial Day weekend to October 25th.  Again, that seems safe, but who knows.  Vermont is in good shape Covid-19 wise and Governor Scott is slowly allowing a reopening.  But he cautions we are a short drive away from metro areas that have more of a problem and less control over the spread of the virus.  If events are held that attract out-of-staters, just how will that be handled? Our local club, Green Mountain Athletic Association, has canceled its first two races, with a third to be virtual.  Coming up are our two July races that attract over 200 runners each.  On our Board call earlier this week, we agreed to see what guidelines the Vermont Department of Health issues on gatherings in the coming weeks.  This is quite pertinent to all of Vermont; summertime is when … Continue reading →

We’re in the thick of COVID-19 and it’s serious stuff.  Increasingly, people we know are afflicted. Most of us are out of work or working from home, taking classes online, become teachers or day care providers for our children, and in any case not able to congregate with friends or shop.  Movie theatres have shut down and restaurants restricted to takeout.  On the running front, the UVM indoor track is locked up.  Gyms and athletic clubs are closed and I suspect even those who previously begrudgingly dragged themselves there would gladly go today! Those who swim, spin (we are still having winter here in VT though outdoor cycling is now becoming an option) or play court sports aren’t so fortunate.  Ski areas are closed due to COVID-19 and cross-country trails may be nice for a day before icing over or turning to slush. All things considered, we runners have it pretty good.  Yes, races planned on have been canceled.  Larger group runs have disbanded as have indoor track workouts.  Yet on snowy days, the streets and bikepaths are plowed and if there’s ice, we can pull out the Icebugs.  Running provides us a vital outlet during these crazy and tragic … Continue reading →

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown virtually everything into chaos.  Schools are closing or going online, conferences and meetings cancelled, international travel bans put in place, and local, state, and national health officials grappling with assessing the spread of the virus and strategies for dealing with it.  The financial and commodity markets are taking historic hits and swings.  And at a time we could use a little relief and some distracting entertainment, the Final Four tournaments are cancelled, the start of the MLB delayed and NBA season suspended.  Regionally, the New Bedford Half Marathon was cancelled and the Boston Marathon moved to the fall for the first time ever.  Locally, road races of all sizes are being cancelled. As we might expect, there is plenty of finger pointing and second guessing going on.  Unfortunately, that will probably continue for some time, which just doesn’t help things.  It’s a time to realize nobody has all the answers and to work together on viable solutions.  Hopefully we’ll see more of that in the days ahead.  The reality is very few of us are going to contract COVID-19, which is a new (why it’s being called novel) strain of coronavirus causing the problem.  Other … Continue reading →